


Question to the World

by allyndra



Series: Xander/Pike Teen Romance [1]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992), Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Teen Romance, set during season 1
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-02-05
Updated: 2007-02-05
Packaged: 2019-07-07 03:54:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15900369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allyndra/pseuds/allyndra
Summary: Pike comes to town looking for an old friend. He finds a new one.A sweet teen romance featuring Pike from the 1992 BtVS movie (portrayed by Luke Perry) and Xander from the BtVS TV series





	1. In Which Xander Ponders a Mode of Transportation

**Author's Note:**

> Posted on LJ In early 2007, added on AO3 in September 2018 (backdated)
> 
> Written for LJ user sublimatedangel 
> 
> Title swiped from the John Rzeznick song "I'm Still Here"

'Motorcycles are cool.'

That was Xander's first thought, even before, 'Thank God, I'm not going to die.' Hard on it's heels came the thought, 'Who the hell was that?'

Xander had been walking home after a Scooby meeting. They had worked their way through a giant stack of books and three pizzas before Giles had released them for the night. Buffy had needed to hurry home to sneak in before her mom checked on her, and Xander hadn't wanted to delay her by asking for an escort after she dropped Willow off. He knew it was dangerous, but he thought he was prepared. He had a stake in one hand and a cross in the other. He figured, even with _his_ grace and coordination, he should be able to fend off the creatures of the night. That confidence had carried him through staking one vamp, an overly confident fledge who hadn't expected the weak human to fight back. He'd dropped his cross, but, on the whole, Xander thought he had acquitted himself well. He proudly brushed the dust off his clothes and turned to go.

Unfortunately, Mr. Dusty had brought friends. Xander's stake was knocked from his grasp and he found himself sandwiched between two vampires, his arms twisted up behind his back by one vampire to immobilize him while the other leaned in for the bite. Xander clenched his eyes shut and fervently prayed that someone other than Willow find his body. He waited tensely for the piercing pain at his neck, but it never came. Instead, with the roar of an engine, a motorcycle swerved sharply at the trio and the rider staked the vamp in front of Xander. Not even pausing to see the effect of his attack, the person on the bike pulled it into a sharp turn and returned to stake the other one. 

Xander stood in the middle of the street, staring after the rider and thinking, 'Motorcycles are cool.' The motorcycle wasn't one of the fancy new ones with shiny chrome and fat, comfortable seats. It was old and well used, with a narrow body. Somehow, the fact that it was a little rough around the edges only made the bike more appealing; it was like an old leather jacket, only gaining character and credibility with age. Of course, the guy who had saved him was cool enough to have both the bike _and_ the old leather jacket. 

He shook himself out of his dazed appreciation and stooped though the cloud of settling dust to retrieve his stake. He still had to make it home, after all, and vampires weren't like lightning: They often struck twice. He had made it as far as the corner when he heard the growl of the motorcycle returning. He scanned the area fearfully, but Xander didn't see anymore vamps or demons for the motorcycle vigilante to be coming for. He assumed the guy would just drive on by, on his way to vanquish other demons, or, possibly, pick up hot biker chicks. 

Instead, the bike slowed and rolled to a stop in front of him. "You okay, man?" the man asked. Actually, up close, it was apparent that the rider was more a boy than a man. He seemed to be about Xander's age, maybe a couple years older. His brown hair was windswept from riding without a helmet. Though the planes of his face were sharp and his eyes were cynical, his thin lips offered a sympathetic smile. 

"Yeah," Xander managed, fumbling the word out over his confusion. Guys like this didn't talk to him. Guys like this stole his lunch money and laughed mockingly at his attempts to talk to girls. "Um, thanks. I was pretty much toast if you hadn't shown up. You know, the kind of toast that's drained of blood and really dead." 

The stranger rubbed a hand across the back of his neck. "No problem." He looked up at Xander thoughtfully. "Does this happen a lot around here?" 

"Me playing the damsel in distress? Sadly, yes." Xander kept his voice light, even though he really hated the fact that he needed to be rescued so often. 

"No, I meant the vampire attacks," the other boy corrected with a wry grin. "Though I gotta say you don't look much like a damsel to me." 

"Thanks, I guess," Xander said. "And yes, the vamp attacks happen all the time. Welcome to the Hellmouth. Oodles of vampires, no waiting. I kind of miss the days when I didn't know about it." 

"Sometimes I do, too." The guy rocked forward a bit, rolling his bike with him. "But you can't go back. You just have to learn to never invite your friends in and to never underestimate a cheerleader." 

Xander thought of what Buffy and even Cordelia were capable of and nodded his head in emphatic agreement. Then his brain caught up with his ears, and Xander realized that the stranger had just connected vampires and cheerleaders in the same sentence. There were many possible interpretations of this, but Xander leapt straight to the one that affected him most. "You know Buffy." Of course he did. He was a handsome stranger with soulful brown eyes. That was like a free pass to Buffy's attention. It made Xander wonder what was wrong with his own brown eyes. Was he somehow lacking in soul? Would listening to James Brown help? 

The young man blinked. " _You_ know Buffy? Can you tell me where to find her?" 

"Um, no. I don't give out home addresses to random strange men. I mean, how do I know she would want to see you? If we're even talking about the same Buffy." Xander cursed himself for mentioning her name in the first place. Her last blast from the past had been willing to sacrifice her to achieve immortality, and there was no guarantee this guy would be any different. 

"Did you just call me a man?" he asked with a delighted smile that showed just how young he really was. "Anyway, I'm not strange. My name is Pike." When Xander opened his mouth, Pike aimed a stern look at him. "Don't ask me if I'm named after a fish," he warned. 

"I so wasn't going to say that," Xander protested, even though he had totally been about to say that. "I'm Xander." Pike let go of one of his handlebars and held out a hand. Xander took it, feeling every bit of the weirdness of the situation. Guys their age didn't usually shake hands; they were more likely to give a half-nod or little wave when being introduced. 

"I'm pretty sure we're talking about the same Buffy. There can't be that many parents crazy enough to name their kids something like that, right? The one I knew was blonde, perky, and totally lethal. Sound familiar?" 

Xander sighed. "That does sound like Buffy." 

"So, will you tell me how to find her?" Pike asked. 

Xander was torn. Buffy didn't talk much about her old life, so he had to assume there were a lot of bad memories there. He didn't want to hurt her by sending her a living, breathing reminder. Thinking of Angel, Xander quickly checked that Pike really was living and breathing. Yep. On the other hand, Xander hadn't had many close friends in his life, and those he had were very important to him. He didn't want to deprive Buffy of the chance to reconnect with someone she cared about. 

"How 'bout this?" Xander said. "I won't give you her address, but if you come to the high school tomorrow around noon, she'll be there. I'll take you to see her." 

Pike looked skeptical. "At school on a Saturday? Maybe it's not the same Buffy after all." 

"It's up to you," Xander shrugged. 

Pike rocked the motorcycle forward again, and Xander wondered if it was a nervous habit. If so, he wished the guy would just bite his nails. Nail biting was a lot less likely to end up with Xander being run over. "Deal," Pike said, dipping his head in resignation. 

"Cool." Xander wasn't quite sure why it was cool, since he still had doubts about whether or not this was a good idea. "Do you know the way to the high school?" 

"I'm sure I can find it. I'll just hone in on the source of all evil." Pike smiled as he said it, and Xander had to choke down the slightly hysterical laugh that threatened to escape him. 

"I'll see you tomorrow, then." Xander saluted Pike with his stake and started to walk away. He'd only gone a few steps when he noticed that Pike was pacing him, rolling the bike forward with his feet. "Dude, separation anxiety much?" 

Pike grinned at his words. "Oh, yeah," he said. "You know Buffy. Are you walking home alone?" 

"That was the plan. It's innovative, I know, but I think I can make it work." 

"Has anyone ever told you you're annoying?" Pike asked. 

"Never. You're the very first," Xander replied. He made his eyes wide and sad, and wondered if that was anything close to soulful. 

Pike managed to get his motorcycle a few feet ahead of Xander and turned it so it was blocking his path. "Just get on," he ordered. Xander wanted to insist that he could take care of himself, that he wasn't a baby and he wasn't scared. But he knew the Hellmouth night was too dangerous for any sensible person not to be scared. 

Xander sighed. "How do I get on this thing?" 

Being coached up onto the back of the motorcycle was only slightly humiliating. Once he was on, Pike showed him where to put his feet and hands. Xander put his hands gingerly around the other boy's waist and held on loosely. His hold stayed loose for about five seconds into the ride. Then he clung tightly, ducking his head behind Pike's shoulder to avoid the wind. This was ... new, riding with Pike, his thighs spread wide around the other boy's body, his chest snug against Pike's back. This was the closest Xander had been to another human since early childhood. He felt smooth leather beneath his cheek and the heavy vibration of the bike beneath his ass and closed his eyes. He knew now why biker guys and their girlfriends liked to ride like this. Xander flushed at the idea of being the girlfriend, but it didn't stop him from snuggling closer. 

After some shouted directions and a ride that was far too short, they pulled up in front of Xander's house. He let go of Pike and got off the motorcycle clumsily. Pike put down the kickstand and got off the bike for the first time since Xander had met him. Standing, he was a bit taller than Xander. Xander looked up at him and realized how very closely they were standing. He licked his lips nervously. 

"Um, thanks again. For saving my life and bringing me home." Xander shut his mouth firmly and told himself not to babble. 

"Don't worry about it," Pike said, reaching out to give Xander's shoulder a friendly squeeze. The only problem was, that with them standing so close together, it didn't feel friendly. It felt intimate. Xander wondered if comparing this situation to the end of a date was totally insane. He wondered if Pike expected a good night kiss. 

But then Pike was gone, out of Xander's space. He climbed back on his bike and raised a hand in a casual wave. "I'll see you tomorrow," he said. Then he started the bike and pulled away, and Xander was left once again, staring after him. Xander knew he needed to get inside. He needed to be in the relative safety of his home. He needed to call Buffy to be sure she was okay with seeing Pike tomorrow. 

But somehow all he could do was stand there and think, 'Motorcycles are cool.' 


	2. In Which Xander Ponders Temporal Anomalies

Xander was even more fidgety than normal. Considering that he often had two Twinkies and a Coke for breakfast, that was saying something. He jiggled his knee and made an effort to look like he was reading. Willow had told him once that if he put as much work into studying as he put into getting out of studying, he'd get straight As. Xander thought she was missing the point. He twisted in his seat to look at the clock. 11:30. Had someone added extra hours to the morning? That had to be it. Xander wondered if he could get Giles to stop researching Flaghilth demons and start researching the time-adding demons instead. Somehow he doubted it. He turned a page and faked a frown of concentration.

Giles was leaning against the counter, skimming through the books he'd deemed too dangerous for the children to look through. Xander had wanted to challenge the word 'children,' but he'd learned not to fight battles that would earn him more work. Willow was sitting across the table from Xander, avidly reading her own book. _Her_ look of concentration wasn't phony. She was even taking notes. If Xander hadn't reaped the benefits of Willow's geekiness so many times in the past, he would pull her aside and try to rescue her from herself.

Xander ducked his head lower behind his book and snuck another glance at the clock. 11:37. On their way back down to the page, his eyes coasted over Buffy and decided to rest awhile. It wasn't that unusual an occurence; some days he spent more time watching Buffy than he did watching TV. It got annoying sometimes. Just last week he had endured another of those 'I'm so glad you're just one of the girls' speeches because Buffy had caught him staring at her in History. Today when Buffy caught him looking, Xander gave her a sympathetic smile. She was clearly nervous about seeing Pike again, tapping her nails on the page of her book and checking the clock even more often than Xander was. She accepted Xander's sympathy with an embarrassed smile. Xander didn't see what reason she had to be embarrassed. After all, she was the one who would be facing one of her few remaining friends from her time at Hemery. Her tension made total sense.

Xander, on the other hand, had absolutely no excuse for being so jumpy. He had talked to Pike for ten minutes, max. Granted, he had snuggled up to Pike on the back of the motorcycle for another ten minutes, but he was trying hard not to think about that. Partly because thinking about it made Xander confused, but mostly because thinking about it made him feel all squishy and hot and completely unsuited to being in the middle of a library surrounded by his friends. It was 11:45. Fifteen minutes left until Pike got here. Xander sighed and slumped in his chair.

He had called Buffy as soon as he'd gotten in the door last night. He had stood at the door, clutching the phone in his hand and watching the street as though he might see a certain motorcycle again. He'd gotten right to the point. "Do you know a guy named Pike?"

"Pike?" Buffy's voice had been disbelieving, which Xander took as a great big 'yes.' No one gets all breathless over a person they never heard of.

"If you do, he really wants to see you again."

"I - God! He's here?"

"Yup. I told him to come by the school tomorrow, but if you don't want to see him, I can give him the brush off for you." Xander might not be able to protect Buffy from monsters, but he could probably fend off a teenage boy. Even a cool boy with a leather jacket.

"No! No, I'd like to see him. It's just ... It's been a long time. I haven't seen him in over a year. I met him right when I was getting Slayer 101 from my first Watcher. Pike was great," Buffy said, her voice getting soft. Xander had only heard her sound that gooey over Angel, so he figured Pike must have been more than just a Slay-buddy. He sighed. Even though he _knew_ he should be happy just to be friends, it hurt that she never sounded that way about him. She cleared her throat and continued in a stronger tone. "I had family problems, and then I went away for a while, and we just went kablooey."

"Bad kablooey?" Xander asked, concerned.

"Non-dealy, non-talky kablooey. We broke up, and then I moved." Xander could almost hear her shrug.

He waited for her to speak again, but the line was silent. Finally, Xander said, "So, I'll see you tomorrow, and I'll bring Pike in around noon, okay?

"Yeah, okay. Thanks, Xander."

"No problem."

And it shouldn't have been a problem. So why was Xander watching the clock, unable to concentrate on anything? Why did he keep flashing back to the feel of his arms wrapped around Pike's waist, and the way his eyes had crinkled up when he smiled? Xander pretended to stretch a kink out of his neck so he could get another look at the clock. 11:57. Close enough. He sprang up out of his chair.

"Hey! I'm gonna go get some air for a sec." They all looked up at him, Willow and Giles with mild curiosity, Buffy with excitement. She hadn't told Willow or Giles about Pike's visit. He didn't know why, but he wasn't going to force the issue. He just headed out the door, restraining himself to a walk until he was out of sight. Then he picked up speed and trotted through the halls. When he got to the front doors, he burst through them with the sense of relief that always swept over him when he left the building. Ahhh! The air even smelled better when it wasn't corrupted by evil and education.

Xander had expected to have to wait a while, but as soon as he got to the top of the steps he saw him. Pike had parked his motorcycle and was standing beside it, his hands shoved deep in his pockets. The pose made his shoulders hunch up, which somehow made him look younger. He looked up at Xander and smiled. His eyes did the crinkling thing and Xander's heart thumped. He clattered down the steps.

"Hey."

"No need to get all mushy," Xander joked, trying to gain control over his body, which had chosen to blush and quiver for some reason. "So, Buffy said she has so many ex-boyfriends with wacko names that she can't be sure, but she thinks she might remember you."

Pike shook his head. "Oh, she would remember me," he said confidently.

"Really," Xander raised his eyebrows and tried to look doubtful. It was difficult, because he had trouble imagining anyone ever forgetting Pike.

"I helped her burn down the gym. You don't forget a thing like that."

"You make a good point," Xander conceded. He led Pike into the school and down the familiar route to the library.

"So, you just hang to the school? I don't wanna call that lame, but ... isn't that kinda lame?" Pike looked at him out of the corner of his eye.

"Is it my fault Giles is the librarian?" Xander asked. He saw Pike's confused expression and backtracked. "Buffy's Watcher is the school librarian. We help with the research, which requires books, and this is where the books live."

"Helping the Slayer cancels out some of the lameness," he said, as though granting a favor. "But not all. Sorry, man."

"That's okay. Lameness and I have a long and storied history." Xander pushed open the swinging doors of the library and called out, "Look what followed me home, mom. Can I keep him?"

Willow and Giles both looked up, startled by the interruption, but Buffy launched herself across the room and into Pike's arms. The newcomer twirled her around, his arms tight around her. The moment she started to pull back, he set her down. "Buff," he said, his voice expressing a casual greeting. "Long time no see."

"Pike," she replied, mimicking his careless tone and nonchalant posture. Then she grinned and slapped him on the arm, "Dork!"

"Ow! Buffy, not all of us are Slayers, you know." Pike rubbed at the placed she'd slapped. He didn't seem to notice the startled look Giles shot him. "Did you miss me?" he asked with a grin. Xander was _not_ jealous to see him grinning at someone else. Not at all.

"Of course I did! Hey, Giles," Buffy said, turning her head, "it's lunch time anyway, so I'm going to take off with Pike for a while. I'll be back in an hour," she promised. She linked her arm through Pike's and led him away. Xander stared at the doors, waving behind them. When he turned, he faced two pairs of inquiring and slightly accusing eyes.

"Who was that? And how did he know Buffy? And how come you knew he was coming but we didn't?" Willow asked.

"And how did he know that Buffy is the Slayer?" Giles added, rubbing a hand tiredly across his forehead. "Honestly, has that girl ever heard of a secret identity?"

"Umm, I'm not an expert on their relationship, but that was Pike," Xander said, looking back at the doors and wishing they would return. He told himself it was only because he wanted a rescue. If he tried really hard, he almost believed himself.

"Pike?" Willow said, her brow furrowed. "Isn't that a fish?"

Xander looked up at the clock on the wall, wondering how long it would be until Pike and Buffy came back. 12:15. He sighed.

It was 1:33 when they returned. Xander noticed that Pike didn't look heartbroken, and he wondered if Buffy hadn't told him about Angel. Or maybe she had told him and Pike was just over Buffy. He wondered if Pike was looking for another relationship. Maybe Buffy hadn't told him because she wasn't really that serious about Angel. Xander wondered if he had a shot if Buffy and Angel broke up. He wondered if it was possible to become schizophrenic from crushing on multiple people with multiple genders at the same time.

While Xander was speculating on future relationships and trying to sort through his emotions, Pike and Buffy were saying goodbye. When they finished, Pike came over to Xander.

"Hey."

"Chill, man! I told you that emotional stuff makes me uncomfortable," Xander said.

"I was wondering," Pike said, his head ducked uncertainly, "if you wanna show me around town. Buff said you'd lived here all your life."

Xander smiled what was possibly the biggest smile of his life. Pike and Buffy had talked about him. Pike wanted to spend time with him. It was like Christmas without the yelling.

"Sure," he managed. He turned around, a little dazed. "I'm gonna bolt, guys. I'll see you Monday."

Giles glanced up from his interrogation of Buffy to acknowledge his goodbye. Buffy herself gave him an uninterpretable smile and a wave. From Willow he got a warning to be careful and to study for his geometry test. Xander nodded and followed Pike out. He only hoped that the time-adding demons would play fair and let him enjoy a long, slow ride on Pike's bike.


	3. In Which Xander Ponders Curvilinear Motion

Xander had found a new favorite thing in his love affair with Pike's motorcycle. There were a lot of awesome things about it, from the way it kick started, to the vibrations that made Xander feel all tingly even after he'd dismounted, but those weren't his favorites. No, the thing he loved best was the way it turned. In cars, turns were safe. Turns were a non-issue. Buckled in and enclosed, turns only mattered so far as they got him where he was going.

But on the bike ... Turns felt dangerous. Pike had to lean into the turns, while Xander tried to sit up straight and neutral, so he didn't throw off the balance. This meant Xander had to loosen his grip on Pike while the entire bike was leaning. He had to resist the urge to move with the vehicle or against it, resist the pull of Pike and of gravity. It was exhilarating and a little scary. Best of all, when they came out of the curve, he got to wrap his arms tight around Pike again.

They circled the town for long enough that Xander began to suspect that Pike was enjoying the ride almost as much as he was. There really wasn't much to see. Xander pointed out the busiest graveyards, the road to the beach, the deserted Bronze, which was closed until evening. He had always known Sunnydale was a small town, but he had never realized it was quite this boring. He wondered what it said about him, that he had lived his entire life in such a dull town and hadn't even noticed. When it was clear there wasn't anything else to see, Pike pulled into the lot for the City Park and rolled to a stop.

"You wanna walk around for a while?" Pike asked, glancing back over his shoulder. Xander straightened up quickly, trying to look as though he hadn't been cuddling down behind Pike while they rode.

"Sure," Xander agreed. When he hit the ground, he was surprised to find that his legs felt rubbery. He stamped on the ground to shake off the feeling, wondering if this was something like sailors getting their sea legs. He'd never heard of motorcycle legs before, but then again, he'd managed to ignore vast amounts of information in his young life. He might have just missed it. He stomped one last time and snuck a sidelong look at his companion. "So," he said, "were you and Buffy okay?" He wanted very much to ask exactly what they had talked about, but he swallowed those words down. He didn't want to scare the nice boy away by coming across all psycho.

Pike's lips quirked into half-smile. "It was good. I don't have a lot of real friends. Don't want to lose the few I've got."

Xander nodded. He'd had Jesse and Willow, and now he had Buffy and Willow. And Giles, who was about thirty years too old and fifty times too British for the title of 'bestest bud' to sit well with him. He didn't know what he'd do if he lost his core group of friends.

Pike kicked a small rock out of his path and said, "I think she's gone a little insane to be dating a vampire, no matter how big a soul he's got."

Relief swept over Xander. He'd been afraid that, even after his lunch with Buffy, Pike might not know about Angel. He so hadn't wanted to be the one to break that news. How would he even do that? 'Hey, you know your cute, blonde ex-honey? Well she's making time with the evil undead, but don't worry. He's a charter member of Bloodsuckers Anonymous.' Definitely not a conversation starter.

"Angel is ... Angel. Buffy knows what he is, but she can't stop herself from getting all googley eyed when he's around. Whatchya gonna do?" He shrugged philosophically, quite as if he'd never considered staking Angel in his sleep.

"The Slayer in love with a vampire. That's ..." Don't say poetic. Don't say poetic. "... gross." Xander managed not to declare his undying love right then and there, but it was a close thing. He cleared his throat and tried to think of a less dangerous topic.

"You used to help Buffy with the Slay-stuff in LA?" he asked.

"Yeah," Pike said. Xander rolled his eyes at that extremely informative answer.

"Did she lure you in with promises of glamour and cookies, or did you just decide that the high death rate in the field of vampire slaying left a lot of room for advancement?"

Pike stopped and stared at him, and Xander worried that he was babbling. It was Willow's fault. He'd gotten so used to their often circuitous mode of conversation that he sometimes forgot that other people didn't talk that way. Pike didn't look irritated though. He just raised an eyebrow questioningly. "You got cookies?" he asked.

"Not often. And really, Buffy's baking skills are well suited to her life as the Slayer. But if you ever tell her I said that, I'll find a way to punish you," Xander warned. He tried to look threatening, but he doubted it was working. There was no reason for his intimidation skills to suddenly blossom.

Pike resumed walking, and Xander kept pace. They sauntered through the park until they got to the playground at the far end. Pike dropped down onto a swing, nudging himself back and forth with one toe. He met Xander's eyes and finally spoke. "I was scared, and then I was pissed. The vampires ... They turned my best friend. When I tried to leave town, they wrecked my van. I was gonna just find another way to jet, but then I thought, 'Hell, no!' I wasn't going to just give up, let them win, you know?"

"Yeah, I know," he said quietly. He held Pike's gaze until the other boy nodded. There was an ocean of pain in those eyes, a world of hurt, a veritable cornucopia of bad memories. Sighing, Xander slumped down into the swing next to Pike. He felt deflated. He didn't want to talk about what, who he had lost to the vampires, and he hated the thought that Pike had lost people, too. Idly, Xander started pushing himself on the swing. Despite the fact that he hadn't swung in years, he found the rhythm quickly. He wondered why there was a saying about riding a bike but not about swinging a swing. Maybe there was a widespread alliteration prejudice he didn't know about. He had loved swinging when he was little. There was that one moment, right at the top of his arc, when he felt like he was flying. The fact that he was tethered to the ground by steel chains didn't seem to matter much. He pumped his legs back and forth, driving himself higher and higher. His neck was tense and his shoes were dusty, but he felt lighter, like he'd left his momentary depression behind.

On a down stroke, Xander looked over at Pike and saw that the other boy swinging as well. They shared a slightly manic grin, Xander's tinged with relief. By the unwritten rules of geekdom, Pike couldn't mock him for being childish if he shared in it. Pike pushed himself as high as he could go. Then, with a smirk of challenge, he leapt off his swing. Xander faltered in his rhythm as he watched to make sure Pike landed safely. He did, and Xander had no choice. That smirk had been like a double dog dare, and Xander had been raised on "A Christmas Story." At the top of his next arc, he thrust his arms back, launching himself off his own swing. He hit the ground rolling, grateful not to have damaged anything vital. He came to a stop right next to Pike, and he lay for a moment, flat on his back, with his head turned to face the other boy. Pike was breathing hard, and his eyes had a brightness that made them look like no one had ever called them soulful. Like they were happy. Xander's breath caught.

He knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that if he lay there for one more minute he would do something intensely, unforgivably stupid. He hadn't spent the last seventeen years being Xander Harris without learning this. With a supreme force of will, he pulled his eyes away from Pike. He rolled to his stomach and then pushed himself to his feet. "Race you to the merry-go-round," he said. He waited only long enough to be sure Pike planned to follow before taking off.

Xander could run. He wasn't track star fast, but he had a certain speed and maneuverability gleaned from years of dodging bullies. Now, of course, he dodged demons who were, on the whole, more evil but considerably less cruel. He poured all of his speed into the short sprint to the merry-go-round and leapt aboard. The circular platform shifted under his weight, and Xander found himself sprawling backward. He caught himself on the hand-holds, but he was still half reclining when Pike arrived.

"You cheated," he accused. "I was still on the ground."

"I never cheat! I prefer to think of it as a strategic use of my more vertical position," Xander said somewhat smugly. Pike didn't reply. He reached out and grabbed one of the handles and started pulling the merry-go-round. He built up speed quickly, and when it was turning steadily, he jumped on. Xander looked up at him. Everything behind Pike was blurred by their motion, and the effect was dizzying. It was almost like a movie, when they focus the camera on the important clue and let everything else in the frame go fuzzy. They spun slower and slower, until they glided to a stop. Xander wondered if the quiver in his belly was from the motion or from the fact that Pike was so close, kneeling right in front of him.

The world stopped blurring, but Pike was still the only thing Xander could focus on. The other boy's face had lost its grin, but his eyes hadn't gone back to soulful. And they were getting closer. Pike was moving forward, slowly advancing on him. Xander swallowed. "Hey," he said quietly. Not protesting, just ... greeting.

"Hey," Pike replied. "I'm gonna make strategic use of my more vertical position. 'Kay?"

Xander couldn't answer. He nodded, his eyes large, and then Pike was kissing him. His lips were soft and warm, and Xander closed his eyes to appreciate them better. Somehow, his brain was thinking a million things at once. He wondered if Spin-the-Bottle with Willow and Jesse counted, or if this was his first real kiss. He wondered how he was supposed to breathe with his mouth so well occupied. And he wondered if they could be arrested for kissing a boy on a children's playground. Despite all of these thoughts, most of his attention and all of his senses were trained on Pike. Who was kissing him. Who should never do anything other than kissing him.

Pike pulled away and waited. His shoulders looked tense, and the realization that Pike was nervous hit Xander like a lightning bolt, if lightning bolts made you grin and want to crow. He didn't crow, but he did grin. He pulled himself up, easing the strain he suddenly noticed on his arms. The fact that this brought him back into kissing range was a nice side effect, and Xander leaned in. He kissed Pike, short and hard, then slipped past him to climb off the merry-go-round.

"My turn," he said, and he started running. When his legs protested the effort, he flung himself back aboard and let the motion slide his body against Pike's. They pressed together, spinning at a different speed than the rest of the world. Xander leaned against the handles to keep them turning just as long as possible.


	4. In Which Xander Ponders Bernoulli's Principle

Xander thought that milkshakes might be the tools of Satan. He'd never considered their possible evil uses before, preferring to simply enjoy their sweet, creamy yumminess in innocent ignorance. Now the wicked ways of the milkshake were clear to him. Pike's head bobbed a little as he sucked on his straw, pulling the viscous drink up to his mouth. His cheeks hollowed and his eyes fluttered in appreciation. Xander managed not to groan aloud. Pike released the straw and Xander relaxed, thinking perhaps he could gain some control over his mind and body, but he thought too soon. Pike's tongue snaked out to curl around the end of the straw, drawing off the chocolatey goodness that clung there. Xander's eyes glazed over.

Pike moved on to his french fries, and Xander slowly pulled his mind out of the gutter he would never admit it had just visited. "So," he asked in a carefully casual voice, "Are you staying in Sunnydale for a while, or are you just passing through on your way to fame and adventure?" He ate a french fry of his own, just to show that he wasn't too worried about the answer.

It suddenly occurred to him that maybe he should already know the answer. They'd spent the entire afternoon together, after all. Xander wondered if the fact that they hadn't actually talked much was a bad sign. He wondered if there was a Dear Abby column for bisexual teenage boys, where he could ask questions like that without getting lynched or laughed at.

They had stayed at the park for at least an hour, kissing and playing like kids until the arrival of real kids drove them away. Xander had expected to get back on the bike and drive back to the high school. Instead, Pike had suggested that they go for a walk. It was a novel concept for Xander. He walked to get places, due to his pathetic lack of wheels, or he walked on patrol, since it was easier to play bait if he was on foot. He did not, however, just walk for the heck of it. It was nice. They didn't hold hands, but they walked close enough together that their hands would brush every once in a while. He wondered if there was something wrong with him, that those tiny, accidental touches made his heart race. Maybe he had a glandular problem.

They had wandered through the town, mocking the displays in store windows and talking idly about the movies that were playing at the theater. To be entirely honest, Xander had done more of the talking, but Pike had listened with a half-smile that made it seem like he actually cared about Xander's opinion of Quentin Tarantino. Xander knew about the half-smile, because he kept sneaking glances at Pike out of the corner of his eye. He worried that maybe the glances and his reaction to the little touches were signs that he was taking all this too seriously. Maybe Pike kissed all the guys he hung out with. Maybe Xander was an obsessive freak. Then he caught Pike glancing back.

The two boys had been gazing lustfully at the stereo system in the electronics store window, and the glass reflected them back dimly. And Xander saw it. Pike's eyes slid over to peek at Xander. He thought Xander was more interesting than a huge stereo. Xander flushed, certain that was the best compliment he'd ever gotten. He'd turned and faced Pike, catching his gaze before he could turn away. He'd smiled, feeling shyer than he had when they first met. Pike's half-smile had grown, and they stood there for a while, grinning at each other like idiots.

Eventually, the wandering had palled in the face of teenage appetites. They'd chosen a burger place at random and adjourned for a refreshing meal of sugar, salt, and grease. Which was when Xander had been made aware of the evil nature of milkshakes.

Pike scraped a fry through his ketchup and looked up at Xander. "There's a guy I can talk to about a job. I checked before I came to track down Buffy."

"So you might stick around?" Xander asked. His voice slipped away from casual, coming dangerously close to hopeful.

"I could be persuaded," Pike replied with an arched eyebrow. "Hey, if I stay, I might even try to finish school." He shrugged. "Anything could happen."

Xander was torn. He wanted Pike to stay with an intensity that scared him a little, considering how very briefly they'd known each other. On the other hand, it was his civic duty to steer people away from Sunnydale, especially the school part of Sunnydale. He figured that at some point during the vampire staking last night and the conversation with Buffy over lunch, Pike must have become aware of the less than safe nature of the town. Still ... "You know this place sucks, right? Like in the more literal sense than I usually mean it," Xander said.

"You worried about me?" Pike asked. Xander opened his mouth to deny it, but there was a light in Pike's eyes that made him reconsider.

"I'd just hate for you to get ... dead," Xander fumbled out. "I mean, Buffy already has one dead boyfriend in town, so adding a dead ex to that would be stressful, and then I'd have to hear all about how it's affecting her complexion. I just don't need that kind of torture," he babbled out.

"I'll keep that in mind," Pike assured him. "You done?" Xander looked down at the table and realized with surprise that he had managed to finish his meal. Either that, or gremlins had stolen it. When it had come up in the past, Willow had always insisted that the gremlin explanation was unlikely, so he must have eaten it.

"Yeah." He helped to gather up their trash and throw it away, and they stepped out into the twilight. Their trip back to the park where they had left Pike's motorcycle was much quicker and more direct than their meandering walk earlier. Both boys scanned the growing darkness for danger as they walked. As it turned out, that wasn't enough.

They were about a block away from the park when a vampire stepped out of a recessed doorway. She was blonde, dressed in the height of Madonna-wear from about twelve years ago. Pike and Xander both had stakes, but neither got them up fast enough. She slammed Xander aside, knocking him to the ground hard. You would think he'd be used to getting bashed around by girls and girlish vamps, but it still always came as a shock. Xander didn't lose consciousness, but his eyes grayed over for a moment, and he was stunned. When he could move, he hauled himself desperately to his feet, scrabbling for the stake he knew he had.

When he rose, he saw Pike pinned to the wall by the vampire. Her fangs were buried in his throat, but she couldn't have drained him much; he was still struggling against her. Xander stared for a second, then leapt for her. He wasn't usually the heroic type. Most of the time, his heroism consisted of gallantly eating the last of the double fudge mocha ice cream so Buffy didn't blow her diet. He almost didn't believe it when he staked the vamp and she actually dusted. Without her strength holding him up, Pike slumped to the ground.

Xander felt like he was trapped in a vacuum left by the absence of the vampire. He felt hollowed out, like all the air had been pulled from his lungs, every thought and every emotion sucked out of his mind. All he could do was stare at Pike, slouched on the sidewalk. Pike groaned. Xander breathed.

Staring at Pike, rejoicing in his aliveness, Xander thought Buffy could probably dance by stark naked, and he wouldn't even look. More than once or twice. Okay, fine; he would ogle the jiggly girl parts, but once she'd danced her naked little hiney away, he would go right back to looking at Pike. Who had vamp dust in his hair and blood on his neck and a slightly hysterical smile on his lips as he looked up at Xander.

In Xander's fantasies, at a moment like this, the person he'd valiantly saved would say, "My hero," in an admiring voice. Pike apparently hadn't read the script for that fantasy, because he said, "Not bad, but you still owe me one vamp before we're even." But he let Xander pull him up off the ground, and he didn't object when Xander wrapped a supporting arm around his shoulders.

They made it the rest of the way to the motorcycle without incident. Xander was worried that Pike had lost too much blood to steer it, but he seemed steady. He even passed the impromptu 'Do you have enough blood to drive?' test Xander devised, based heavily on sobriety checks he'd seen his parents subjected to. As they rode back through the town, Xander didn't even pretend not to be snuggling against Pike's back. He figured any guy who didn't get scared off when the forces of darkness attacked on their first date wouldn't mind a little cuddling.

Last night Xander had stood uncomfortably when Pike had dropped him off, caught off guard by the thought of a goodnight kiss. Tonight he wasn't going inside without one. He cupped Pike's jaw and kissed his lips, which should have tasted like fear and dust but tasted like chocolate milkshake, instead. As Pike kissed him back, he thought that maybe shakes weren't evil. Then Pike sucked on the tip of Xander's tongue, and he realized it was never the shakes that were evil; it was Pike's wicked mouth. He wondered if that meant he was being corrupted. He decided he could live with that.


End file.
